Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: All eight people on board died when a B-52 bomber aircraft crashed in California, USA, on Monday, the media reported.
The Boeing-manufactured B-52 is a massive aircraft serving as the US Air Force’s largest heavy bomber. It crashed during a routine test mission.
The long-range US military aircraft plunged to the ground at Edwards Air Force Base on Monday, officials said at a news conference.
“We lost eight great Americans,” Colonel James Hayes, the deputy commander for the 412 Test Wing at Edwards, said, adding that officials were working to notify the victims’ families.
The B-52 crashed about 11:20am (19:20 GMT) on Monday shortly after taking off from the base in Southern California’s Mojave Desert.
Military officials said the aircraft plunged and burst into flames. Hayes revealed there could not have been any survivors.
Aerial videos showed the crash site, where black smoke rose from a wide patch of charred desert near the base’s runway. There was almost nothing left of the aircraft. Firefighters doused the fire as other emergency vehicles stood by.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a post on
In an earlier update on X, Edwards Air Force Base said the airfield was closed and all inbound aircraft were being diverted.
The victims
The US military said the eight victims included members of the military and government contractors.
Boeing on Monday evening also confirmed that two of its employees were on board the aircraft.
The crew was on a routine test mission when the crash happened, officials said.
It’s not certain for now what caused the accident. Hayes said an investigation could take up to six months.
However, he revealed the B-52 was part of a fleet supporting a “radar modernization program.”
B-52
Also known as the BUFF (big, ugly, fat fella), the B-52 is one of the US Air Force’s longest-used bombers, in operation since 1955.
It’s known for its low maintenance despite high performance levels. It can run without refueling for about 14,000km (8,700 miles).
The US military has deployed the bomber in numerous conflicts from the Vietnam War to the recent US-Israel war on Iran.
The B-52 was initially built to carry nuclear weapons for deterrence missions during the Cold War. By 2024, there were about 76 of them in service, the media reported.
Capable of launching nuclear missiles, the jet moves at high subsonic speeds and can carry up to 32,000kg (70,550lb) of weapons. It is compatible with air-to-ground missiles and precision munitions. More recently, the bomber was used as a launch base for the D21 Lockheed reconnaissance drone.
Its radar system is more powerful than the former 1960s mechanical radar. It also uses an “upside-down” display that beams toward the ground rather than up at the sky.
It’s so far unclear whether these upgrades are related to the crash on Monday.
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